Locomotive stoker



July 29, 1930. N, M LOWER ET AL 1,771,799

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed June 6, 1927 4 sheets-shyt 1 July 29, 1930. lN.v M. LOWER ET AL 1,771,799

LocoMoTIvE sToKER f Filed June 6, 1.927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 29, 1930.I N. M. LOWER E+ A; 1,771,799

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed June 6, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 29, 930. N.M. LOWER Er AL LocoMoTIvE sToKER Filed June 6, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 BijCrusher, as 25, is mounted on the trough near the forward end on itsopenv portion. The forward end 18 of the conveyortrough or conduit isconnected by means of a ball and socket joint 26 with the casing 27enclosing the Stoker parts which are carried by tl eY locomotive.

The forward end ofthe' shaft 24 is universally jointed, as shown at 28,to the shaft 29 of a worm wheel 30, enclosed within a casing 3l attachedto, or forming a part of the Acasing 27, and Vmeshing with and beingdriven by a worm 32 formed on a shaft 33 which forms an extension of anengine shaft 34, to which -it is coupled by means of the sleeve 35. Theshaft 33 is carried by bearings 36, 37 mounted in the casing whichencloses a worm wheel 30. These bearings are of the ball or roller typeandftake the thrust of the shaft in either direction. An element 38 ofone of the bearings, as 37, is in threaded engagement with the walls ofan aperture inthe casing 31, to provide for the necessary bearingadjustment, and a lockV 39 is provided for, holding this element invadjusted position. Y V Any suitable motor may be employedfor '5 drivingthe conveyor screw. There is shown for this .purpose at 40a high speedfour-cylinder reciprocating engine, of which ,the shaft 34 is the crankshaft, which carries a fly wheel 4l.

Economy of space is conserved by locating the engine 40 on thelocomotive, below the deck or floor of its cab and Vat one side of thecasing 27, the engine shaft 33 extending through this casing and theworm wheel 30 and its casing being located upon the opposite sidethereof.

A plunger elevator 42 reciorocates within the chamber of the casing 27,in ways which are inclined forwardly and upwardly. This elevato-rreceives on its face a load of the fuel which has been delivered to thecasing by the screw 2l and delivers it into a shovel box 43 mounted onthe top of the casing 27 the front end of the box. being Vopen to thefiring opening l2. A pair of oscillating shovels or vanes 44, 45 aremounted within the shovel box 43, being carried by vertical shaftslocated near the open end ofthe box. These shovels or vanos may be ofany pre ferred form, being shown as of the type disclosed in PatentNumber .1,304,464 to Elvin and Fahnestock. They are actuatedalternately, swinging forwardly from the position of rest (as occupiedby the shovel 44, Fig. 2), sweeping across an aperture 46 in vvshown forthis purpose the well known Dake steam engine, the casing of which issuitably secured tothe casing 27 and at the side thereof opposite tothat at which the engine 40 is located. he crank shaft 49 of the engine48 is coupled by means of a sleeve 50 to awor'm shaft 5l located withinthe casing 27 and carryinga fly wheel 52. The engine shaft 49 projectsthrough a sleeve 53 carried by the engine frame, a stuffing box 54 beingapplied tothe end of this sleeve to prevent the escape of oil. A stuiingbox 55 is also applied to theaperture through which the shaft 49 entersthe casing 27 for the same purpose, it heilig the intention tovpartially fill with oil the portion of the casing 27 within which theoperating mechanism is enclosed. The worm shaft 5l is journalled inbrackets 56, 57 rising from the bottom of the casing 27, ball or rollerbearings being employed which take the thrust of the shaft in eitherdirec-tion, and there being provided suitable means for the adjustmentof these bearings, as indicated at 58.

Tt is sometimes necessary to turn the Stoker mechanism by hand, as whenrelatively adjusting certain of the parts, or in making repairs, workthatiis usually done when the locomotive is not under steam, and to thisend the fly wheel 52 is provided with gear teeth 59 for cooperation witha pinion 60 on a shaft 61, the end of which is square for theapplication of a hand crank. The shaft 6l is journalled in a casing 62secured to the outer wall of the casing 27, and the outer end of thecasing 6l takes the form of a stuliing box to prevent the escape of oil.As the use of the hand crank is only occasional,

the pinion 6() is preferably normally out of engagement with the flywheel, the shaft 61 being withdrawn by a spring 63 housed within thecasing 62.

The wo-rm on the shaft 5l drives a worm gear 64, which is fixed upon asleeve 65 our nailed upon a Xed shaft 66 secured in the front wallv 6lof the casing 27 and in a partition 68 crossing the chamber of thecasing and separating it into twocompartments, to one of which the fuelis delivered by the screw 2l and within the other the driving mechanismfor the elevator and projectors is housed. This partition 68 also servesin part as the guide for the elevator 42.

Upon the end `of the sleeve 65 opposite from that upon which the wormgear 64 is mounted, there is fixed a gear wheel 69 which meshes withapinion 7 O fixed upon a shaft 7l lll? v of these pipes branch from thesteam Ypipe 83 partition 68 and carrying a crank arm 72 which isconnected by a pitman 73 to the elevator 42. Ink order to economizespace the lower Wallof the casing 27 is open `below the elevator, asindicated at 74, to providey clearance for the crank arm 72. A secondpartition 75 extends upwardly from the bottom of the casing 27approximately to the level reached by the face of the elevator plunger42 on its down stroke, and constitutes one of the Ways within which theelevator travels. A skirt 76 depends from the elevator plunger 42 andengages the inner A face of the wall 75, the length of this skirtbeingsuch that it does not pass beyond the upper margin of, the wall vwhentheelevator is at the end of its up-stroke. The wall 75 and skirt 7 6prevent the entryvof fuel below the elevator. y

Av cam wheel 77 is fixed upon the sleeve V65 intermediate of its endsand actua-tes the shovels 44, 45 through connections substan tially asshown in Patent No. 1,267,644 to Elvin, Fahnestock and Clark, issued May28, 1918, which need not be described in detail. There is mounted on theshaft of each of the shovels a pinion 78 with which meshes a segmentalgear 79 carriedby an oscillating armV 80 having connection with the camgroove in the Wheel 77.

Steam is led to the motor 40 through a pipe 81 and to the motor 48 by apipe 82, Both leading from the steam turretl 84 of theloco'- motive. Ahand valve 85 in the pipe 83 cuts oft' the steam from both motors. Eachof the pipes 8l, 82 is provided with a hand valve 86, 87, whereby themotors may be independently controlled. It being desirable that theprojecting shovels be not entirely Astopped When the transfer conveyoris being Operated, to the end that jamming may not occur, asmall by-pass88 leads around the valve 87 s insuring some action of the motor 48whenever the valve 85 is open.

The stoker organized as described is comparatively light, adding butlittle to the Weight of the locomotive. It is compact and does notencroach upon the fuel bin of the tender or reduce its tank capacity.The transferring means, being driven by an independent motor, is capableof regulation independently of the elevating and distributing mechanism,and furthermore, does not disturb in the slightest degree the action ofthe latter if clogged or retarded, as by the sudden development of aneXcesive load by the necessity'of crushing a lump of fuel.

The elevating and distributing mechanism, being actuated by anindependent motor, may be regulated, as for the trimming of a fire,Without affecting the action of the transfer mechanism, therebyproviding for a uniform delivery of fuel to the firebox regardless Yournalled in suitable boxes secured to the of the pr0p0I0I1 Of the'gateupon which it is to be deposited. f

The parts of themechanism are easily as sembled and are readilyaccessible for repair.

vWhile a highly eliicient and a preferred` form of construction of thestoker as a whole, and its-various parts has been disclosed, theinvention inits broader aspects is capable of different forms ofembodiment.

TVe claim as our invention:

l.. A locomotive stoker comprising means for transferring fuel from a'storage bin to the locomotive, and means for delivering the transferredfuel to the fireboX of the locomotive, independent steam motors fordriving the transferring means and thevdelivery means, a yvalvecontrolled steam pipe for both motors, valve controlled branches leadingfrom such pipe to each motor, and a by-pass around the'valve in one ofthe branches. y

2Q A locomotive stoker comprising means yfor transferring fuel from astorage bin tothe locomotive, and means for delivering thetransferredfuel to the fireboX of the locomotive, independent steammotors for driving the transferring means and the delivery means, avalve controlled steam pipe for both motors, valve controlled branchesleadingV from such pipe to each motor, and a by-pass around the valve inthe branch leading to the delivery means motor.

3. In a locomotive stoker, in combination,

means for transferring fuel from a tender to a locomotive, means fordelivering the transferred fuel to the locomotive fireboX, a casinginclosing the delivering means and receiving from the transferringmeans, separate motors for driving the transferring and the deliveringmeans, such motors being located on opposite sides of the casing, ashaft actuated ay each motor-and projecting into the casing, andgearingwithin the casing and connected with each shaft and being indriving'connection with the respective fuel moving means.

4. In a. mechanical stolzer, the combination of a fuel bin, havingdelivery openings, a feed trough located below said openings, a screwconveyor and a fuel Crusher within the trcugh, a .delivery appliancereceiving from said feed trough, a casing inclosing such appliance, andindependent motors for op- 1 erating theconveyor and the deliveryappliance, such motors being attached to and supported by the casing.

5. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, mechanical means forelevating fuel and delivering it to the firebozr` of a locomotive, a Y

casing inclosing such means, and enclosing a worm gear, a motor loatedoutside of the casing, a shaft within the casing connected with themotor shaft, a Worm on the firstnamed shaft operatively engaging theworin gear, and hand actuated meansv for turning the worm shaft.

6. ln a locomotive stoker, in combination,

CIK

mechanical means for elevating fuel and delivering it to the ireoox ofzi locomotive, a casing inclosing such means, and enclosing n Worm geur,a motor located outside of the casing, a shaft within the casingconnectec With the motor shaft,V a Worm on the firstnnmed shaftoperatively eno'aginr; the Worm gear, e fly Wheel on the WormV shafthaving` gear teeth, :i spring retracted longitudinally movable crankshaft journalled in the casing` Wall, and n pinion on the crank shaftadapted to engage the gear teeth of the fly Wheel.

7. ln a locomotive Stoker, in combination, means for transferring iuelfrom the locomotive tender, a casing on the locomotive receifing,` thetransferred fuel, means Within the cz sing for delivering the fueltherefrom to the lirebox of the locomotive, a motor at one side of thecasing" and having. a crank shaft projecting' thereinto, a Worm on theshaft, a. Worin Wheel Within the casing driven hy the Worm, and a shaftdriven hy the Worm Wheel for actuating the transferring means.

In testimony whereof We allix our signatures.

NATHAN M. LOVER. ALBERT R. CHALKER. RALPH L. MCCURDY.

